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I missed it the first time around only because I was still crawling round in nappies then.
I believe Game Show Network re-runs the documentary occasionally. I saw it a few years ago at a neighbor's house when I was installing their new widescreen.
Agree with the other poster. This isn't a "scandal" at all. He figured out how the system worked and used it to his advantage while playing by the rules. I think it got labeled a "scandal" because sensationalistic language sells headlines (meaning: ad time) in the corporate ma$$ media.
It is a scandal, because the creators and producers of the game never intended for anyone to win this way. He technically played the game according to how it was supposed to be played, at least the producers thought so for a while, but he was cheating when he used the patterns. Cheating makes it a scandal.
I missed it the first time around only because I was still crawling round in nappies then.
I believe Game Show Network re-runs the documentary occasionally. I saw it a few years ago at a neighbor's house when I was installing their new widescreen.
Agree with the other poster. This isn't a "scandal" at all. He figured out how the system worked and used it to his advantage while playing by the rules. I think it got labeled a "scandal" because sensationalistic language sells headlines (meaning: ad time) in the corporate ma$$ media.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry Hemi
It is a scandal, because the creators and producers of the game never intended for anyone to win this way. He technically played the game according to how it was supposed to be played, at least the producers thought so for a while, but he was cheating when he used the patterns. Cheating makes it a scandal.
Well.. "Scandal" probably isn't the best way to describe it.. But he did NOT cheat whatsoever. He exploited a weakness in the game.
It's the same with the Price is Right perfect bid guy.. Who there is a documentary on Amazon Prime about that's worth logging some time with. I watched that over the weekend. Think it's called Perfect Bid. Not great, but worth the watch.
Larson did nothing illegal, wrong or against the rules. Same as perfect bid guy on TPiR. They didn't INTEND for the game to be played that way, but there's no difference between Larson's method of play and someone with a photographic memory appearing on Jeopardy and winning.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Delahanty
I can't believe that I missed this game show. In fact, I'd never even heard of it until this thread.
And I love game shows!
Underrated show. Log some time with it.. It's quite enjoyable.
Well.. "Scandal" probably isn't the best way to describe it.. But he did NOT cheat whatsoever. He exploited a weakness in the game.
Underrated show. Log some time with it.. It's quite enjoyable.
I get what youre saying, but by definition he cheated. It was dishonest, unfair to the other players, and he did it to gain money. The only way he could cheat more is to actually control the electronic board that controls the game while he was playing it.
Quote:
cheat
/CHēt/Submit
verb
gerund or present participle: cheating
1.
act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage, especially in a game or examination.
"she always cheats at cards"
I actually love the one (out of 100 apparently) whammy music where the whammy devil is breakdancing.
I finally found out what song inspired that music. ..or at least what song the whammy music sounds exactly like.
I get what youre saying, but by definition he cheated. It was dishonest, unfair to the other players, and he did it to gain money. The only way he could cheat more is to actually control the electronic board that controls the game while he was playing it.
No.
He didn't.
He followed the rules. The rules - and, more specifically, the game - simply weren't designed to prevent gaming the system. He still had to answer questions. He still had to time his selections just right. It's no different than an NFL defender who intentionally commits pass interference to avoid giving up a touchdown, or a basketball player trash-talking in an attempt to distract an opposing player from focusing on the game.
I get what youre saying, but by definition he cheated. It was dishonest, unfair to the other players, and he did it to gain money. The only way he could cheat more is to actually control the electronic board that controls the game while he was playing it.
I don't see it being dishonest. He did not hide what he was doing.. if you watch it.. he telegraphs what he's doing. It should have been patently obvious what was happening.
It was not unfair to the other players, because they could have done the exact same thing. Not sharing the information he found wasn't unfair. I mean, you don't expect players on Jeopardy to tell others the answer (or question), do you?
I don't see it being dishonest. He did not hide what he was doing.. if you watch it.. he telegraphs what he's doing. It should have been patently obvious what was happening.
It was not unfair to the other players, because they could have done the exact same thing. Not sharing the information he found wasn't unfair. I mean, you don't expect players on Jeopardy to tell others the answer (or question), do you?
He outsmarted the producers and other players.
He definitely outsmarted them. But he did hide what he was doing ,because he knew no one would be looking for it. He certainly knew not to tell them what he figured out.
After I watched it again this weekend I paid attention to what the network execs said, and even they said it wasnt cheating.
I also wonder if it was that obvious what he was doing at the time. My only guess is that it wasnt because no one working there was familiar with the programming of the board. If they were, they would have seen that he kept stopping the board on squares 4 and 8.
Would the person that programmed the board computer even know? If there wasnt a big deal made about which sequence to program, and that 6 sequences wasnt enough. The idea had to be that they were going too fast for anyone to see with their naked eyes that the pattern wasnt actually random.
He followed the rules. The rules - and, more specifically, the game - simply weren't designed to prevent gaming the system. He still had to answer questions. He still had to time his selections just right.
And it certainly wasn't a scandal.
Words have meanings.
Of course it was a scandal. The network was trying to find a way to avoid paying him. They couldnt, That was the scandal. He found a way to game the system, which is still cheating even if he found a loophole.
He definitely outsmarted them. But he did hide what he was doing ,because he knew no one would be looking for it. He certainly knew not to tell them what he figured out.
After I watched it again this weekend I paid attention to what the network execs said, and even they said it wasnt cheating.
I also wonder if it was that obvious what he was doing at the time. My only guess is that it wasnt because no one working there was familiar with the programming of the board. If they were, they would have seen that he kept stopping the board on squares 4 and 8.
Would the person that programmed the board computer even know? If there wasnt a big deal made about which sequence to program, and that 6 sequences wasnt enough. The idea had to be that they were going too fast for anyone to see with their naked eyes that the pattern wasnt actually random.
I think even in the doc, they had one of the producers there and they said they realized what he was doing after about the 10th spin, but they were totally powerless to stop him. I recall either seeing in the doc or reading that the producers were aware that this could happen, but didn't feel it was worth it or feasible to add the new patterns. But that after Larson, they noticed several people trying the same thing.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Harry Hemi
Of course it was a scandal. The network was trying to find a way to avoid paying him. They couldnt, That was the scandal. He found a way to game the system, which is still cheating even if he found a loophole.
the scandal would be if they didn't pay him. Looking for a way out of it isn't necessarily scandalous. Even TPiR producers, with the perfect bid guy were looking at it to determine if he had cheated in any way.
I think the PYL producers were a little more motivated to try to FIND a way that he cheated.. But, he didn't, and they couldn't.
I compare the TPiR perfect bid and this often, because they are very similar. The only scandal with TPiR was Drew Carey's announcing of the perfect bid. That turned me against him as host of TPiR. Look at how Tomarken handled Larson.. Perfect and professional. Carey has said he didn't think it would ever air.. well, it did, and now he looks like an ass.
Can you imagine Bob's reaction to that perfect bid if he was still host?
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